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Review
. 2017 Jun 26:4:81.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2017.00081. eCollection 2017.

Rehabilitation after Total Laryngectomy-A Tribute to the Pioneers of Voice Restoration in the Last Two Centuries

Kai J Lorenz  1
Affiliations
Review

Rehabilitation after Total Laryngectomy-A Tribute to the Pioneers of Voice Restoration in the Last Two Centuries

Kai J Lorenz. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Background: The most severe consequence of laryngectomy for patients is the loss of their voice. For this reason, voice rehabilitation has been an integral aspect of treatment after total laryngectomy from the very beginning. A wide variety of different technical and surgical approaches are available and reflect the problems associated with the rehabilitation of communication and swallowing after the removal of the larynx.

Methods: We used Internet search engines and libraries to conduct a search of the current medical literature and historical sources of medical information in order to identify and summarize landmark work on this subject.

Discussion: Four types of methods have been used to restore the voices of patients, i.e., external devices, esophageal speech, internal voice prostheses, and surgically created tracheo-esophageal fistulas that do not involve the use of a prosthetic device.

Keywords: esophageal speech; laryngeal cancer; total laryngectomy; voice prosthesis; voice rehabilitation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Time bar of voice restoration.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Gussenbauers and Billroths internal artificial larynx. (a) Tracheal cannula, (b) pharyngeal cannula, (c) phonation cannula, (d) turnable sealing, (e) window to trachea, (h) artificial epiglottis, and (i) spring.
Figure 3
Figure 3
von Bruns artificial larynx. Internal voice prosthesis. (b) rubber tube (f) phonation attachment (g) flap valve.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Taptas external voice prosthesis. (a) Tracheal cannula, (b) connecting tube, (c) y-shaped phonation cannula, and (d) neck shield.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mozolewski’s first internal voice prosthesis. (A) Curved shape and (B) straight shape.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Schematic structure of a modern internal voice prosthesis. (a) Hood, (b) prosthesis shaft, (c) tracheal flange, (d) valve seat, (e) esophageal flange, and (f) valve flap.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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